Fast Track your citizenship!
Tired of waiting for an appointment at the consulate? There's another way! Plus, more on the digital nomad visa and an inspiring success story from the SMI community.
Digital Nomad? Don’t forget to apply!
Welcome to this week’s issue of Italy Per Te. Now that the Digital Nomad dust has settled a bit, it’s time for all of us at Smart Move Italy to get busy diving into the details. While we, along with our policy experts, attempt to figure it all out, we have a very special offer for our community.
💥 We are picking 4 qualifying applicants who want to apply for the Digital Nomad Visa, but want to do it with the support and expertise of the visa team at Smart Move Italy- all for free!
We’ll keep the application open for a few more weeks so if you’re interested, follow the link👇 to learn about the details and to apply. This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so don’t miss it!
Podcast Corner - Applying for Citizenship in Italy
Italian citizenship is a dream for many people, but it doesn’t come easily. The steps for jure sanguinis (by blood) include confirming you are eligible (sometimes a feat in itself), locating and certifying all of your documents, translating them when necessary, and (drumroll) securing an appointment at an Italian consulate. It’s this last piece that often sends hopeful Italians running for the hills in frustration. For most consulates, snagging a coveted appointment is highly competitive and the wait times are just painful. So, what can you do?
In a recent podcast episode, our Chief Dream Maker, Samantha Wilson, addresses this question and provides another way…applying in Italy. Before you dismiss this option as being too expensive and too difficult, know that Smart Move Italy helps people successfully pursue this path all the time. You just need to know how to do it right and where to apply (the importance of this detail cannot be underestimated).
If citizenship is even a remote possibility for you, you definitely don’t want to miss this episode. Click the link to listen now. 👇
Citizenship Success - Bruno Seminara
Are you dreaming of Italian citizenship but aren’t sure where to start? This just happens to be one of our specialties at Smart Move Italy. Because each case is so unique, we take a personalized approach to citizenship. Reach out to our team to find out the best path for your specific situation. If you're discouraged by the long wait times and difficulty securing appointments are your consulate, we may be able to suggest an alternate route that can get you to your goal faster, just like we did for Bruno Seminara. 👇
We moved from Canada to Italy on 13 July 2023. Seven months later, I was officially recognized as an Italian citizen with the help of Smart Move Italy. Originally, we planned to apply through my consulate in Canada but that would have taken anywhere from 2 to 3 years. Samantha suggested that it would be faster if we prepared all our documents in Canada and then applied once we moved to Italy, which is what we did. SMI was very helpful and now they’re helping us with my wife’s citizenship.
Congratulations, Bruno, on your recognition! Wondering if you are eligible for citizenship? Take our quiz and find out in 2 minutes! 👇
Dealing with Train Strikes in Italy 🚊
It happens to the best of us. You’ve carefully planned your trip from one beautiful location in Italy to another, just a quick 2-hour train ride away. It may be a little tough to jam in all the things you want to do, but as long as the trains are running on time, you should be fine.
Then, smack! You’re hit with a roadblock. A big one! The trains aren’t running because of a strike.
Transportation strikes in Italy are common and there’s actually plenty of chatter about planned strikes right now (read about this week’s planned strike in Lombardy here.). So, what can you do?
In Italy, this is a reality of life. You have to be flexible and willing to reschedule your travel if you run into a strike. Fortunately, Trenitalia “guarantees minimum transport services during strikes,” according to their website, which means a few essential trains will run even when all the others are not. Yes, it may be difficult to get a ticket on these trains, but at least there’s an option.
Has a train strike impacted your travel? Let us know in the comments.
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Location Spotlight - Sacile, Friuli-Venezia Giulia
What do you picture when you think of small-town Italian living? If you see yourself meandering through the weekly market, stumbling upon hidden foot bridges, and strolling along colorful riverside paths, Sacile may be your ideal location. This northeastern commune in the province of Pordenone is one part fairytale scenery, and one part well-connected, vibrant community (with a healthy dash of old-world charm).
There’s a good chance you’ll get some strong Venice vibes while exploring Sacile, which makes sense given the fact that this used to be a popular getaway for wealthy Venetians. The City of Canals is just an hour away. Sacile also has a coveted train station on a major line so it’s ideal for those who want to explore.
The natural beauty here is truly stunning and you can experience it without having to leave the boundaries of this little town. Of course, if you are the adventurous type, this entire region is unbeatable for trekking, biking, and rafting. On the other hand, if your idea of exploring nature is enjoying an incredible meal on an outdoor patio or window shopping, Sicile is also the perfect destination. There is a wide variety of cuisines to choose from, including one of the best Indian (surprise!) restaurants in the area (don’t worry, there are plenty of excellent Italian options too).
Is Sacile speaking to you? If so, we may have found your dream Italian property. Perhaps it’s this👇4 bedroom, 3 bath terraced villa with exposed beams, a garden, and a garage priced at € 257.000. This beauty was featured in Sunday’s Vendita, our weekly property newsletter.
Want to see the details? Don’t forget to subscribe to Vendita for 30 property picks sent to you every Sunday ☕️. To subscribe via email, click here or join our Telegram channel. It’s completely free! Could you see yourself in Sacile? Let us know in the comments.
Ask Samantha Anything
Hi Sam: I listened to your citizenship podcast (Great information. Thank you!) and I need some clarification. I understand I’ll have to become a resident to use the “fast track” option in Italy. That means I will be a taxable resident BUT if by some miracle my application is approved in less than 6 months, will I still have to pay taxes in Italy that year? I will go back to my home country once approved because I’m not quite ready to move full-time.
Dear Rachel: You can be deemed a taxable resident in Italy in two ways. The first is if you spend more than half of the year in Italy and move the centre of your life here; the other is if you register your residency at the comune where you live.
If you are applying for Citizenship in Italy, then by default, you must register your residency at the comune. This is because you can only apply in Italy if you “live” in Italy.
There is a grey area if you arrive in the last half of the year, and you do not maintain your residence for a full six months in a fiscal year (Jan 1 - Dec 31) then you may not have to submit income tax in Italy.
However, this is a very blurry line when you have officially registered for your residency and are receiving the benefits of a taxable resident. It is also questionable if you establish residency, get your citizenship, and then immediately de-register. The authorities can suspect that you never intended to live in Italy and only used the system for the purposes of a citizenship application. I do not recommend applying in Italy if you do not intend to live here for at least a year or more.
The BEST way to get your questions answered 👇
Here at Smart Move Italy, our team of experts can answer pretty much any question you have when it comes to moving to Italy. Don’t believe us? Then try to stump us! Send your question to our voicemail to possibly be featured in an upcoming podcast episode. Don’t hold back! We love a challenge. 😊
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Start your adventure today! Access our resources and turn your dream of living in Italy into a reality.
As always, thanks for being a part of the Smart Move Italy famiglia. A presto!